A concert by Nagar Baul frontman James was cancelled on Friday in Faridpur following chaos triggered by stone-throwing from outsiders. The performance was scheduled on the final day of Faridpur Zilla School's 185th anniversary celebrations and reunion programme, but escalating disorder forced organisers to call it off. James later described the incident as a clear case of mismanagement and organisational failure.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Nagar Baul and James' spokesperson Rubaiyat Thakur Robin said the band reached Faridpur around 7:30pm. "After the programme had officially begun, we were informed that disturbances were taking place at the venue. We were still at the guest house at the time. By around 10:30pm, the situation had worsened significantly and we were told the concert had been cancelled. We then returned to Dhaka," he said. James echoed the sentiment, stating that the cancellation was entirely due to the organisers' failure.
According to the organising committee, the reunion and cultural programme was intended exclusively for registered former and current students. However, thousands of unregistered outsiders gathered after hearing that James would perform. When they were denied entry, many remained on nearby Mujib Road. In an attempt to manage the crowd, organisers installed two projectors outside the school premises, but this failed to calm tensions. Around 9:30pm, groups of outsiders attempted to scale the boundary walls. When stopped, they began hurling bricks and stones towards the school grounds and stage. As security personnel intervened, the situation spiralled further out of control.
Between 25 and 30 people inside the school compound were injured by flying bricks. At one point, four to five individuals managed to climb over the wall and enter the premises, where they were confronted and physically restrained by Zilla School students.
Considering the growing threat, Benjir Ahmed Tabriz, a member of the security subcommittee and a former student of Faridpur Zilla School, announced the cancellation of the cultural programme shortly before 10pm. He later said that 20 to 25 people, including reunion committee convener Mostafizur Rahman Shamim, were injured by stones thrown from outside, with several requiring hospitalisation.
Faridpur Kotwali Police Station's Officer-in-Charge, Mohammad Shahidul Islam, said that news of James's appearance had drawn an estimated crowd of 20,000 to 25,000 people in front of the school. "It was impossible to accommodate such a large number within the school premises. When outsiders were denied entry, a minor disorder broke out. To maintain overall safety, the performance was eventually cancelled," he said.
